Shophika Vaithyanathasarma
"I wish to encourage the members of my community to understand that sovereignty will not lead to the removal of their freedom. On the contrary, it will drive their inclusion in their own society."
A student of mathematics, Shophika aspires to promote the beauty and utility of mathematics in the eyes of young people. For her, in order to achieve this result, profound changes must be made to Quebec’s system of education, a cause she feels strongly about, along with curbing social inequality. These two initiatives go hand in hand. The youngest person to sit on the PAQ’s Board of Directors is already leaving her mark in various circles, notably as a member of the Conseil Jeunesse de Montréal and of Tel-Jeunes’ youth committee, within her students’ union and as the host of a podcast on mental health. In order to stay in touch with her Sri Lankan roots, Shophika is learning Bharatanatyam, classical Indian dancing.